"I Became a Witch, but Now Everyone's in Love with Me!"

Chapter 78: A Witch’s Thousand Tricks to Pick Up Girls!
 

The starship’s dining experience, so highly praised by Daisy, proved to be as unique as she had promised.
Unlike ordinary ships, this traveling vessel followed fixed interstellar routes. Whenever it docked at a new world or region, merchants aboard would disembark, scouring the markets for the freshest and most distinctive local ingredients. In the hands of the witch-chefs, these exotic goods from distant worlds became a dazzling feast.
Some dishes followed Western traditions, highlighting the pure essence of the ingredients themselves. Others leaned toward Chinese cuisine, weaving together layers of flavor through masterful combinations.

And then, there were the more unusual preparations—like the notorious fermented cuisine from Killie-Amor. It looked vile, exuded an odor reminiscent of rotting wild beasts, and yet, against all expectations, its flavor was strangely… compelling.
Jiang Cha, however, could not stomach it. She sipped once, frowned, and set her bowl down. Having ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) grown up in the Central Plains in her past life, her standards for food were exacting—color, fragrance, and taste all had to harmonize. This dish’s pungency and unseemly appearance were flaws she could not overlook.
“Hahahaha~ Chinese witches are all so conservative. You’ll miss out on so many beautiful experiences this way.”

Daisy laughed, her tone teasing. As an Icelandic witch, she was practically raised alongside fermented cuisine. For her, swallowing it down required no effort at all. Her narrowed eyes, however, carried a subtler meaning beneath the jest.
Jiang Cha’s reply was gentle but firm: “Even if one misses many things, the world is vast. Isn’t it also a fine way of living—to trade those misses for more satisfying experiences?”
Her tactful smile carried its own hidden implication.
Battle witches, after all, were notoriously open. Among witches, they were the most uninhibited—fond of sprawling music festivals, reckless indulgence, and fleeting affairs. For them, it was almost an unspoken rule: strike first, claim boldly, and ask questions later.

Daisy was no exception. Her family, the Red Dragon clan, was steeped in warrior tradition, producing generation after generation of iron-willed fighters. She was its latest bloom—blonde, loli-faced, and unashamedly vulgar.
Drinking, smoking specially crafted witch-tobacco that invigorated mind and body, teasing women—it was all part of the standard repertoire of a battle witch. Daisy embodied it perfectly.
But in truth, witches were pragmatic when it came to love. As long as two hearts aligned, they did not pry into past dalliances. What mattered was constancy afterward. Only those who remained debauched even after marriage drew the scorn of their peers.

So Daisy could not truly be called corrupt. At worst, she was a little shameless.
Still, when her teasing was met with Jiang Cha’s polite smile, her façade faltered. She struck a match, lighting her pipe. Sweet, herbal smoke curled from her lips, lending her an air of practiced cool—but it was only a flimsy mask for her embarrassment at being turned down.
Her teammates, less charitable, pounced.

“Captain, you’re hopeless!” Misa groaned. “Stop trying to act like an old rake. You don’t even have the charm for it. It’s embarrassing.”
Daisy coughed, nearly choking on her own smoke. “Ahem! I’m still practicing! One day I’ll seduce a girl with nothing but a glance!”
“(￣▽￣)”

Kelly made a silly face, clearly unwilling to be dragged into the topic. But a moment later, she snuck a glance at Jiang Cha, then quietly excused herself.
Jiang Cha chuckled. “I thought Senior Kelly was such an innocent witch. She’s imitating me now, running away so quickly?”
But when she caught up, she noticed Kelly’s cheeks glowing faintly red. The girl said nothing, simply gazed at her with bright, watery blue eyes. Then, as if seizing a sudden idea, she lifted her hand toward the shimmering air on the deck.

A lance of magical light burst forth, slamming against the starship’s protective screen. The energy scattered, blossoming into a cascade of iridescent sparks. It was like watching fireworks bloom inside the endless passage between worlds—brilliant, ephemeral, breathtaking.
Clad in silver power armor, Kelly puffed out her chest with pride, wagging her finger before Jiang Cha’s eyes as if to ask: “Isn’t it beautiful?”
“…It’s very beautiful.”

Jiang Cha could only nod in awe. Compared to ordinary fireworks, these were infinitely more elegant—threads of magic woven with exquisite precision, each burst shaped by Kelly’s flawless control.
But Jiang Cha shook her head lightly, teasing: “Even so, senior… I won’t agree to spend the night with you. I’m still young, and I won’t give up my first time so easily.”
Kelly stomped her foot, cheeks puffed up like a sulking child.

Jiang Cha laughed softly. “It was just a joke. Thank you.”
She reached out, her smile gentle, and offered a sincere bow of gratitude. If not for Kelly’s demonstration, she might never have discovered such a delightful trick.
Kelly blinked, startled—then grinned, producing a book from her bag.
On its cover, bold words read: “A Thousand Tips to Pick Up Girls!”

She flipped straight to the confession chapter, holding it up until only her eyes peeked over the top. They sparkled mischievously as if speaking for her.
Jiang Cha glanced at the page—where the same “fireworks confession” was written—and instantly understood.
“…Don’t tell me you learned this from a book?”

“(Nod, nod!)”
Kelly beamed, brimming with pride.
Her meaning was clear: she had seen Daisy circling earlier, and feared Jiang Cha—innocent, inexperienced, and new to travel—might be tricked into bed by someone bolder. So she had pulled out one of her “moves” to protect her.

Jiang Cha’s lips curved in amusement. “Thank you. But… can I borrow this book?”
After all, there were still ten hours before they reached their destination. And while utterly impractical, knowledge like this was always fun to study.
Kelly shoved the book straight into her arms, her face lighting up like a child presenting candy. “You’re welcome! I’ll give it to you!”

Jiang Cha hugged it to her chest, smiling warmly.
Yes. She had truly come to the right starship.